Fall 2014 House
by Beth S. Buxbaum
Since 2002 Larry Levy has escaped the frenetic pace and crowded streets of Manhattan to spend his weekends and holidays at his getaway home in Bucks County. Almost every weekend during those years, Larry has dedicated to restoring, upgrading and redefining his historic property. He has been a resident of Manhattan for decades. Divorced for almost 20 years, Larry is part of a fourth-generation family business in clothing manufacturing industry. The Levy Group, in Manhattan, manufactures for labels including Betsy Johnson, Perry Ellis and Nordica. After decades in the New York,
Larry decided it was time to find a weekend getaway out of the city. A single dad, he also wanted a place suitable for his three children–something a little more country. “Being a city-dweller all my life, I wanted an old stone house in the country,” says Larry. He felt there were too many distractions in the Hamptons and Connecticut is too suburban.
Larry visited Bucks County several times over the years and remembered its beauty and pastoral quality, not to mention its proximity to Manhattan. With the help of a local realtor, Larry started looking for a country home in Bucks County, but nothing struck his fancy. One day his broker said that he had to see this house for ideas. “She took me here to inspire me and give me a feel for what I could have in the neighborhood,” Larry adds.
Larry was so taken by this house that, even though it was not on the market, he offered to buy it. But the owners were not interested in selling. Larry continued his arduous search for another year, but couldn’t find anything he liked. Frustrated and disappointed, Larry contacted the owners again and this time made an offer they couldn’t refuse.